Photo: The Royal Family Instagram
King Charles' coronation invitations are nearly complete!
On Tuesday, Buckingham Palace shared new photos of a calligrapher at work on theintricate invitationson the royal family’sInstagramandTwitteraccounts.
The Royal Family Instagram
The palacepreviously announcedthat the King, 74, invited over 850 community and charity representatives to his historiccrowning ceremonyat Westminster Abbey on May 6. Over 450 British Empire Medallist (BEM) recipients were invited to see the service from the ancient Abbey itself.
The BEM honor is often distributed at the local level for outstanding community service or achievement, celebrating exemplary volunteer or charity work with lasting impact. Many of the medalists invited to the coronation provided instrumental support or service to their communities during COVID-19 lockdowns.
“The Coronation of Their Majesties King Charles III andQueen Camilla,” the letter heralds. “By command of the King the Earl Marshal is directed to invite [name] to be present at the Abbey Church of Westminster on the 6th day of May 2023.”
The flora flows into an illustration of the Green Man — “an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign,” the palace said.
Official invite to King Charles' coronation.Buckingham Palace
Several royal housesfrom around the world have also confirmed their attendance — including foreign monarchs, in a break from tradition. In years past, monarchs from other countries typically did not attend a British king or queen’s crowning ceremony, instead sending heirs, consorts or other family members to represent them.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla.Hugo Burnand / Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace also announced last week thatPrince Harrywill attendhis father King Charles' coronation whileMeghan Marklewill not.
“Buckingham Palace is pleased to confirm that The Duke of Sussex will attend the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on 6th May. The Duchess of Sussex willremain in CaliforniawithPrince ArchieandPrincess Lilibet,” the palace said in a statement last Wednesday.
Prince Harrywanted to be at the service to support his father at this important moment in his life, a friend tells PEOPLE.
Although there arethree days of eventssurrounding the coronation, including a concert at Windsor Castle and a day dedicated to volunteering efforts, the Duke of Sussex, 38, is not expected to attend outings aside from the crowning ceremony. The palace had no comment or guidance on whether Harry will join King Charles, Queen Camilla and other members of the royal familyon the Buckingham Palace balconyfollowing the coronation.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.Karwai Tang/WireImage
Meanwhile, Meghan is staying in California with the couple’s two children. May 6 is alsoPrince Archie’sfourth birthday, and she will spend the weekend celebrating with him and his sister, 22-month-oldPrincess Lilibet, PEOPLE understands.
King Charles' crowning ceremony will be more modest than his mother’s coronation 70 years ago. The 2,000 select guests invited inside Westminster Abbey on May 6 are a fraction of the 8,251 people atQueen Elizabeth’s ceremony, and King Charles' church service has been cut down to about 60 minutes — a third of Queen Elizabeth’s nearly three-hour coronation in 1953.
source: people.com
